James Girling with be at Omnibus Theatre this Sunday with his quartet, Quarteto de Bossa Nova. James formed this quartet with the aim of sharing a specific era of Brazilian Bossa Nova, with stylistic authenticity.
Here he lines up a few of hisfavourite albums/tracks in the Bossa Nova/acoustic Brazilian vein.
So, in no particular order→
Danilo Caymmi
Album: Danilo Caymmi Canta Tom Jobim
Track: Luiza
Now 70 years old, Danilo Caymmi is a wonderful Brazilian musician. From the famous Caymmi family, he’s an excellent flautist, guitarist and singer. The album, from 2016, contains some of the most touching arrangements of Jobim songs that I’ve come across, with beautiful cello and flute parts. To me, the rendition of ‘Luiza’ is particularly special.
Dori Caymmi
Album: Kicking Cans
Danilo’s older brother, Dori Caymmi actually turned 75 a couple of days ago. This whole album (from 1993) is really uplifting, and includes contributions from many serious musicians: Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Ivan Lins, Paulinho da Costa and John Patitucci, to name a few. It was first recommended to me by both Mike Walker and Dave Hassell, whose judgement you can’t really argue with!
João Gilberto/Stan Getz
Album: Getz/Gilberto
Track: P’ra Machucar Meu Coracao
I couldn’t omit this album (recorded in 1963), as it was the first bossa nova record I encountered. My dad introduced me to it, along with the two subsequent ‘Jazz Samba’ records by Getz with Charlie Byrd and Luiz Bonfá respectively. I’m fairly sure the first jazz chord voicings I learnt were those played by Gilberto on this album. Jobim himself interjects chords and melodies at the piano throughout the record, lending each note a sense of significance and poignancy.
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Album: A Certain Mr. Jobim
Track: Estrada Do Sol
Dad also gave me this album, and I’ve probably worn the vinyl out. Released in 1967, it has a cool story: Jobim flew to the studio for this record straight after he had recorded his massively successful record with Frank Sinatra (‘Frank Albert Sinatra Meets Antonio Carlos Jobim’), but unsurprisingly this one received a little less attention! Both albums centre around the stunning orchestral arrangements of Claus Ogerman; you also have to hear João Gilberto’s 1976 ‘Amoroso’ record for more exquisite Ogerman arrangements.
Fabiano Do Nascimento
Album: Dança Dos Tempos
Track: Ewê
Our singer/woodwind player, Caitlin Laing, first showed me this song, and I’ve since become a big fan of Fabiano do Nascimento as a guitarist and composer. Currently based in L.A., he’s a self-taught, young guitarist who plays 7-string guitar, so learning his guitar parts on 6 strings is good fun! The album also includes renditions of Brazilian icon Villa-Lobos’ Etude No.1 and Quarteto Novo’s seminal ‘O Ovo’. Aptly, the great percussionist Airto Moreira plays on this album, having originally recorded ‘O Ovo’ in 1967 with the legendary flautist Hermeto Pascoal.
JAMES GIRLING will be at Omnibus Theatre on 2 Sept as part of our Sunday Music programme – get your tickets HERE→
